


Music Makes Me Feel So Free

by ugandadistrict9



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Rock Band, Battle of the Bands, Crack, Gen, im still not very desisive about most of this stuff, maybe rinharu later. maybe, ratings and tags subject to change, rin's dad was a rockstar, they were band nerds as kids instead of swimmers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-07
Updated: 2014-10-24
Packaged: 2018-02-12 05:47:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2097936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ugandadistrict9/pseuds/ugandadistrict9
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After his brother Seijuuro goes off for university, Momotarou must take his place as the lead guitarist of Cartilage Aquarium Red, the rock/metal band led by 20 year-old Rin Matsuoka, an amazing singer who aspires to be as great as his deceased father, a former well-known metal singer.</p><p>The band often find themselves competing against FREESTYLE!, a band led by Rin's old friend/rival, Haruka Nanase.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Practise Makes Perfect!

**Author's Note:**

> {~special thanks to @BackstrokeBOI on twitter for coming up with the name for Rin's band~}
> 
>  
> 
> EDIT: This was originally going to be more of a future fic, but I thought of some better ideas that make more sense, so it's entirely an AU now.

“Momo!” Rin cries, lowering his guitar, frustrated. “Again?”  
“Sorry, sorry!” Momo yells, his voice echoing all around the garage. “Jeez, why am I getting so much crap for this!? It's not my fault that I'm not experienced at this song!”  
“Yeah, okay, and we've only practised it like, what, 50 times today?” Momotarou could tell how pissed off his senpai was getting. “The concert is in 3 days, Momo. If you don't learn the song by then, we're fucked. Is that what your brother would want, Momo? The band to be fucked?”  
“No! Rin-senpai I promise I'll try harder this time, okay? L-let's start from the top!”  
They'd been practising the same song, My Chemical Romance's “The Sharpest Lives” for hours. Momo knows the song, he'd been practising it for weeks preparing for this. However, practising alone is an entirely different story than practising with a group. Seijuuro had been a master of improvising it when he forgot something. While Momotarou, on the other hand, isn't quite so bright. So here they were, practising the song for what felt like the millionth time today.  
“Three, two...” Aiichirou counts them in, tapping the drumsticks together, and Sousuke starts the bass.  
Rin clears his throat. “Well it rains and it pours when you're out on your own. If i crash on the couch can I sleep in my clothes?”  
Momo starts up his guitar, executing the first part beautifully, the music flowing really well. The rest of the boys are astonished by how great it sounds, but then...  
Momotarou lets go of the guitar, letting it hang off the strap around his neck, and holds onto the microphone, striking a dramatic pose. “I've really been!! On a bender and it shows! SO, whyyyy don't you blow me- Eh? W-why did you all stop playing? I... thought I was.... oh, ha a h a, the guitar, I,”  
Rin gives him the fiercest look he's ever seen. He swears he's glowing with an aura of... aggression and anger.  
“H-hahhaha ha....Umm, R-Rin-senpai...?”  
Rin cracks his knuckles. “Momo,” he laughs. “Momo, I _swear_...”  
“U-uh, Rin-senpai!” Ai interrupts, chuckling nervously. “He's getting better um.. He just needs one more practice, okay!” he shoots Momotarou a glare. “He just, um, forgot, that's all! Th-there's no need to get angry. Please, senpai, g-give him another shot!”  
“He _is_ our only chance right now, Rin.” Sousuke adds.  
Rin's eyebrow twitches. “Yeah, I... I know, he's just so, so-”  
“Incompetent?”  
“Yeah. That.”  
“H-hey! I'm standing right here you know!” Momotarou shouts.  
“This band is a mess...” Aiichirou mumbles.  
“It's just kind of hard to sing and play at the same time, okay? Why can't Sousuke just play the guitar?”  
“Because. He's playing the bass, Momotarou.” Rin snaps through gritted teeth. “Now... Let's do this one more time, from the top, okay?”  
“T-try to focus more on the guitar than on the singing, okay, Momo-kun?” Ai adds encouragingly.  
“But singing is more fun-”  
“Just shut up and play, fucko.” Rin growls.  
“Y-yessir!” Momotarou quickly puts his hands back on his guitar.

 ***

“Congratulations, Momo-kun!!” Ai approaches the redhead after practise, as he's sitting on top of his amp, exhausted. “You finally did it!”  
“Thanks... It's hard work playing and singing at the same time!” he whines. “They aren't giving me the credit I deserve!”  
“Well, I guess they're not, but you have to start trying harder, you hear me?”  
“Even you, Nitori-senpai!? Jeez, I can never get a break around here can I?” he leans back onto the amp, flailing his arms in the air. “My senpais have no respect!! Niiiiiiii-chaaaaan, why'd you have to leave me with these guys!”  
Aiichirou sighs. "I'm sure Rin-senpai is proud of you too. He's just tired out and frustrated from all that practise."  
"Not as tired and frustrated as me! At least he wasn't getting yelled at all day!"  
"That reminds me... You really, _really_ should stop making him yell at you.” Ai says darkly. “He's gonna lose his voice before the concert at this rate."  
"Making him yell at me!?” Momo cries. “Nitori-senpai, I thought you were on my side!!"  
“Just, promise me you'll practise more, okay? This concert is really important to us. It should be important to you, too.” Aiichirou flashes a small smile of encouragement. “It would mean a lot to Seijuuro-senpai.”  
The redhead closes his eyes. “I promise, I promise, okay? Now will you please just let me rest for a bit at least, before Captain Sharkweek over there gets back in here and makes me get my ass up.”  
The grey-haired boy sighs, a little irritated, turning and meeting the young Mikoshiba's request to be alone the garage.

 ***

It's the night after their long excruciating practise, and Rin is sitting outside the garage, scrolling through his phone, rereading his messages, awaiting a reply from Gou.  
[txt: to Gou] hey  
[from Gou] hey Onii-chan!  
[to Gou] so did you find out if you can make it to the concert yet?  
He sets the phone down for a second, sighing. _I'm exhausted._ He thinks to himself, huffing. _That Mikoshiba kid is such a hassle sometimes. Man, I swear that kid is really trying to make me want to strangle him sometimes..._  
Rin's phone buzzes, interrupting his thoughts. He picks it up, taken aback by the message he gets.

[from Gou] well, um, about that....  
[from Gou] I have another concert to go to that day...

Rin's jaw drops, his grip tightening around his phone. _Another concert? What concert could possibly be more important to her than mine!?_ '

[to Gou] another concert??? what the hell gou!?  
[to Gou] i'm calling you

Rin quickly dials his sister's number, raising the phone to his ear.  
“Hello?” his sister's cute voice sounds on other end. “Onii-chan?”  
“Gou!” Rin spits. “What's with the crap about this “other concert” you have to go to?”  
“Um, well,” she laughs nervously. “You know, the band that I'm managing.”  
“Managing? I don't remember hearing anything about that! The guys in that band better not be-”  
“O-Onii-chan calm down... It's okay! It's really not like that, I promise! They're people that you know!”  
“People that I.... know?” Rin pauses, bewildered for a second.. But then, it clicks. His free hand balls into a fist. “Oh fuck. Gou, don't tell me...”  
“Sorry, Onii-chan...”  
“YOU JOINED HARU'S BAND?”  
“I'm only their manager! You know I don't play any instruments!”  
“But-” He cuts himself off. Sighing, he relaxes his hand. “I guess it's alright.... But why is their concert on the same day as ours!?”  
“A coincidence?”  
“Ugh.” Rin spits on the sidewalk, disgusted. “How are you supposed to come to my concert if you have to be at their's? What time is Haru's concert at?”  
“Uh hold on a sec.” Gou's voice gets muffled by her putting a hand over the phone's microphone. “Nagisa-kun, Rei-kun, do you know what time our concert is at?”  
“Wait you're with them right now!? Let me talk to one of them!”  
“Uh, hold on a sec, Rin wants to talk to you.” Rin hears the sound of the phone being passed to someone else.  
“Rin-san?” The voice belongs to Rei. “Y-you wanted to speak with me?”  
“Ah, hey Rei. So I hear Gou's the new manager of the band, huh.... How are you guys doin' anyways? I haven't heard from you or Haru or the others too much lately.”  
“We've been doing very well lately. We have a concert this friday night!” he declares, sounding rather proud.  
Rin curses under his breath. “So it's true...” he mumbles.  
“Pardon me?” Rin's bewildered voice crackles through the phone speaker. “W-what's true?”  
“Our concert is on friday too.”  
“Oh. That is.... unfortunate.”  
“Yeah. You're tellin' me. I was hoping Gou could come see our concert.”  
“I was wishing you could come to ours too, Rin-san. However, there's always next time!”  
“I guess you're right... I just think it's fucking ridiculous that we both have a gig on the same night. Is this some kinda conspiracy?”  
“Well, admittedly that is a little strange... Where are you playing, anyways?”  
“Ah, it's nothing special. It's the kid's first time playing live, so we got a fairly small venue.”  
“The kid? As in, Mikoshiba-san's brother?” Rei asks, surprised. “So last time when you guys played at the festival... That really was Mikoshiba-san's last concert after all.”  
“Yeah. I'm glad he got into a good college, but, it's sad to see him go, honestly.” Rin flashes a sad smile. “But his brother's got a spirit as fiery as his hair. He'll make a good guitarist. He just needs a little more practise and a lot more discipline.”  
Rei chuckles.  
“So, Rei, where are you guys playing friday night?”  
“We're playing at one of those live music bars in town. You won't be missing much, we play there quite a lot.”  
“W-wait, which bar!?”  
“The one that Sasabe-san, your band teacher, works at. Why?”  
“Son of a bitch...” Rin mumbles, hitting himself in the forehead. “We're playing there too. Why didn't it occur to me to ask what time you're playing at?”  
“W-wait we're playing at the same bar on friday!?”  
“Yeah sounds like it...” He grins as the sudden realization strikes him. “You know what this means...”  
Rin can hear the sound of Rei adjusting his glasses. “Oh, it's on, Matsuoka Rin-san.” he says, his smirk apparent from his tone of voice alone.  
“It is indeed, Ryuugazaki Rei.”  
“Well, I'll give the phone back to Gou-san now that it sounds like we've cleared up the confusion. Thank you for speaking with me, Rin-san.”  
“Mm. Seeya, Rei.”  
“Onii-chan?” Gou's voice comes back on the line.  
“Thanks, Gou.”  
“E-eh? No problem, um. I'll see you at the concert on friday, I guess. Goodnight!”  
“Night.”  
Rin smiles, sighing as he lowers his phone. He was happy to be able to see Haru and the others' concert as well as he was happy that Gou could attend theirs. “I bet Momo is still inside...” he mutters. Pocketing his phone, he makes his way back into the garage.  
He quietly opens the side door, only to find Momotarou sitting on the amp, his head resting against the wall, a small trail of drool from his lips down to his chin.  
Stiffing a laugh, he smiled fondly down at the kid. Annoying as Momotarou was, Rin figured he really did deserve the rest from all that consecutive practising today. Shaking his head, the pink-haired teen left the garage, quietly wishing the young redhead goodnight before the door clicked shut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for any mistakes! please feel free to point out any typos or grammar stuff i messed up, thanks<3


	2. Concert Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  
> YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW EXCITED I AM TO UPLOAD THIS  
> I AM LIKE BUZZING  
> IM LIKE [VIVA HAPPY BY HATSUNE MIKU PLAYS]  
> I HOPE YOU LIKE THIS. BECAUSE. I SURE DO. (i think)  
> IVE HAD THIS IN A DOCUMENT, NEARLY FINISHED, SINCE AROUND THE TIME I UPLOADED CHAPTER /ONE/ BUT I GOT WRItERS BLOCK. SOO SORRy GUYS BUT HERE IT IS!! AT LONG LAST!  
> PRAISE.

“Rin-senpai, where's Gou-san!?” Momotarou cries, peeking around the side of the flimsy backstage wall, scanning the bar. “You told me she'd be here! We go on in half an hour, and I still don't see her out there!”  
“Shut up.” Rin says dryly. “I don't know where she is. Haru and the others are supposed to be playing after us aren't they? Why aren't they here!?”  
“I'm a little worried too...” Aiichirou frowns. “Usually they'd be here by now, right? Ryuugazaki-san would never be late for anything, would he?”  
“Normally, Gou wouldn't either.” Rin sighs. “I've already texted her a bunch of times, and she won't answer.”  
“I could try texting her, if you want.” Sousuke offers.  
“Thanks.” The corners of Rin's mouth lift up in a little smile. “I hope she gets here in time.”  
“You promised me she'd be here for our concert!! Rin-sen-”  
“Shut up, Momo. You shouldn't be worrying about that right now. I'm sure they'll show up soon. You just have to concentrate on the music, for once, okay?”  
“Got it...” the redhead mumbles, looking at his feet, adjusting his leather belt and tight jeans.  
All the members of the band were dressed up in their leather and jeans, and as cool as it made Momotarou feel, he felt a little out of place amongst these rockers. He was sure his brother fit in quite well with them.  
Rin was dressed in red skinny jeans, a dark grey tank top, and a black leather jacket. He wore black and golden rings on his fingers, and his nails were painted black. It really did fit his style, Momo thought. Sousuke wore a burgundy long sleeved t-shirt, a thick black belt, and a leather vest, revealing his tattooed arms. He wore black gloves, the right one fingerless. Momo really didn't understand why only one of his gloves was fingerless, but he never dared question the intimidating, muscular man. Aiichirou was dressed in a loose leather jacket, a grey t-shirt, and baggy black jeans. He wore black fingerless gloves. The redhead never would've thought of something as hardcore-looking as that suiting the fragile, silver-haired teen, but it really did look fantastic on him.  
Momotarou glanced back at the full body mirror, once again studying his outfit. He wore a bit of eyeliner and a loose-fitting dark red tank top, torn black skinny jeans and leather fingerless gloves, his red guitar slung round his shoulders. He smirks to himself, a sudden boost of confidence rising within him. “Man, do we ever look cool!” he turns back to his bandmates, grinning.  
Aiichirou can't help but smile too. “I guess we do...” he says, smiling proudly at his reflection, fixing his silver hair. Since he graduated high school, his hair had grown out. His bangs cut across his face, nearly covering one of his eyes.  
Sousuke and Rin both glance at the mirror as well.  
“We look super cool!! We're gonna rock this bar!! Yahoo!” Momo shouts, raising a fist in the air.  
Aiichirou rolls his eyes, though the confident smile doesn't leave his face  
“We always have looked pretty good together.” Rin chuckles, ruffling Ai's hair.  
The grey-haired boy blushes. “H-hey! Now I have to fix my hair again!”  
The man smiles down at his bandmate. laughing a little. "Damn, it feels so good to be getting up on stage again."  
"Mhm!!" Ai agrees as he smooths down his hair, adjusting his bangs into just the right place again. "I was worried when Mikoshiba-senpai left, that we'd never be able to have a concert again together."  
Sousuke smiles. "It does feel good to be here all together.  
Momo laughs. "Well you don't have to worry, because with guitar-playing like mine, you'll land a bunch of gigs!"  
Rin rolls his eyes. "Yeah... Just keep on practising, kid."  
Momotarou puts his hands on his hips. "I have been practising! Remember wh-"  
"Oi!" a woman's voice calls.  
They look up to see a thin young woman with light brown hair, tied back into a high ponytail purple lipstick and black winged eyeliner. She sports tall leather boots, and one of the club employee shirts, with a name tag reading Hanamura. "I'm here to help you bring your equipment on stage.” She beams at them. “I'm a big fan of yours by the way, Gou-chan told me all about you!” She cracks her knuckles, preparing to pick up Momotarou's guitar amp.  
"Sh-shouldn't they get a man to do it?" Momotarou starts. "You look kind of-" he cuts off, in shock as the woman picks up the large amp with minimal effort.  
"Kind of ___?” She raises an eyebrow at him, smirking.  
"Whoaaaaa..." A light blush dusts the redhead's face.  
Rin shakes his head picking up his own guitar. “Ah, thanks a bunch.”  
“It's my job.” Chigusa winks. “Good luck out there, you guys!”  
The four young men get to work plugging in and adjusting volumes on their instruments, and Rin taps his microphone. “Check, check.”  
Meanwhile, the young Mikoshiba's eyes scan the crowd, searching desperately until he finds the pink haired beauty he's looking for. His whole face lights up. “I see her! There she is! Gou-san!” he whispers excitedly to his older bandmates, a blush creeping its way up his face.  
She's sitting at a table with Haruka, Rei, Makoto, and Nagisa, smiling brightly and excitedly up at her brother.  
“You'd better play well if you plan to impress her.” Rin smirks.  
Momo can feel the excitement and firey determination boiling in his blood. He smiles competitively. “Let's go!”

***

“Man! That was so much fun!” Momotarou pants, taking a big swig of his water bottle. They were just packing up their instruments and stuff backstage after their show. “Exhausting though.”  
“You did well, Momo-kun.” Aiichirou smiles, wiping the sweat from his brow.  
“You were great, too.” Rin praises. He ruffled a hand through the boy's grey hair.  
Sousuke smiles. “We were better than I'd expected, honestly.”  
“Come on, Yamazaki-senpai, did you really have low expectations of me?” Momo hangs on the blue-eyed man.  
Rin chuckles. “Come on, I think Haru and the others are playing next. Let's get to the bar.”

When they arrived back in the bar, Haruka and the others were nowhere to be seen, obviously behind the curtain of the stage getting prepared. Gou was sitting at a table nearby, and she waved them over excitedly. “Onii-chan!!”  
Momo beamed. “Gou-san!! I lo-” Rin grabbed him before he could make a move, sitting down in the seat next to Gou before he could, forcing the boy to sit next to him.  
“You guys did awesome!” She squealed.  
Aiichiou sat down on the other side of Gou, and Sousuke sat next to Momotarou.  
“Did you like my guitar playing Gou-san? Was I good?”  
Gou giggled. “You guys were great.”  
Momotarou blushed brightly, squirming excitedly in his chair. “'G-great'.... G-G-G-Gou-sann c-complimented me...” he mumbled, smiling like an idiot.  
“Thank you.” Aiichirou bowed his head in gratitude, ignoring the redhead.  
“Thanks.” Sousuke says cooly.  
“So when do Haru and the others go on?”  
“They go on in 15 minutes. I was wondering when you guys were gonna get here, I thought you'd miss out!”  
“We'd never miss their concert.” Rin smiled. “After all, then we'd never get to see who's band is better.” he added.  
Gou rolled her eyes. “What's up with you guys and constantly making competitions out of everything?”  
“Old friends make the best rivals.” Sousuke smiles slightly, looking over at Rin, who smiles back knowingly.  
“Yeah.”  
“I'm looking forward to hearing them play, though.” Ai says with a smile. “I want to see how they've improved since we last heard them.”  
“Me too.” Rin says, glancing over at Momo, who still hasn't seemed to have recovered from being complimented.  
“They've improved alright.” Gou says proudly. “I'm happy for them. They have been doing really well lately, especially since Miss Amakata and Sasabe-san have been helping us out.”  
“Ah, so I've heard.” Rin sighs. “Our band used to have a lot more helpers, too, but,” a twinge of annoyance is clear in his voice. “Most of them skipped out on us, or left to do other things at the same time Mikoshiba left.”  
“That must've been hard on you guys...” Gou murmurs, surprised.  
“But now that I'm here,” Momotarou butts in, winking at her. “We'll do great!”  
“Shut it.” Sousuke orders.  
Gou giggles.  
The redhead mumbles something about how he was only stating the truth under his breath, turning away.  
“Shh. They're coming on stage.”  
The crowd cheers as the four boys enter the stage, accompanied by employees who drag the keyboard and some equipment with them. Gou bounces excitedly as they set up. Nagisa sees them in the crowd and smiles brightly. She gives him a wink, mouthing “Give it your all!”

***

“HARUUKA-SENPAIII!!” Gou calls, “GUYS!!” She rushed towards the exhausted boys as they entered the now nearly-empty bar. She had a proud smile on her lips, and she squealed in excitement as she approached.  
“Gou-chan!” Nagisa exclaims, clearly tired, but still naturally bubbly as always.  
“You guys were great!!”  
“Thanks, Gou!” Makoto smiles.  
“Thank you, Gou-san.” Rei says in his trademark polite way, making Gou laugh a little.  
“You guys blew Onii-chan's band away!”  
Haru averts his gaze. “Rin and the others are still here?” he asks dryly.  
Gou giggles, gesturing to the table in the far corner, where Rin, Sousuke, Ai, and Momo are sitting.  
The raven-haired man sighs in a way that Gou figures is a sign of annoyance.  
“Rin-chan!!” Nagisa calls, waving him over.  
Rin stands up, releasing his hold on Momotarou, who practically shoots over to where Gou is standing. “Gou-san...” he whispers, smiling jubilantly.  
Ignoring him completely, Gou smiles up at Rin as he walks up and shoots a deadly glare at the young redhead, who shrinks down in fear, retreating slightly.  
“You guys did well.” Rin says, his gaze softening as his eyes fell over Haru.  
“You were spectacular too, Rin-san.” Rei complements, pushing his glasses up onto his nose.  
Makoto chuckles. “I'm proud of you guys for adapting so well, after Seijuuro left on such a short notice.”  
“I guess you're right.” Rin's eyes flicker over to the smaller Mikoshiba, cowering behind his sister, and he flashes a genuine smile. “I'm proud too.”  
Momotarou's eyes light up, and his lips curve into a small - almost shy - smile.  
Rin's grin widens at this, his sharp teeth showing.  
Nagisa laughs. “Yeah, they were good, but we all know who was better.” he says smugly.  
“That's right!” Rei lifts his chin high, crossing his arms over his chest.  
Makoto rolls his eyes, laughing. “You guys..”  
Even Haru can't help but smile a little at this, which Gou takes notice of, her expression brightening.  
Rin yawns, looking over his shoulder at Aiichirou and Sousuke. “Well, I should probably head home, if I want to be alive in the morning.”  
“Yeah, us as well.” Rei says. “It was nice to see you, Rin-san. You too, Momotarou-san.”  
Momo looks up, his eyes previously transfixed by Gou's benign smile. “Uh, it was nice meeting you guys, I guess.”  
Nagisa giggles. “I hope we'll get to see you more, Momo-chan!! Good night!” he grabs Rei's arm, and the pair turn to leave, along with Makoto and Haru.  
“Bye, Rin!” Makoto calls over his shoulder as they leave.  
Rin waves. He turns around to find Ai and Sousuke right behind him, obviously getting the message that they were leaving.  
“You guys all did well tonight.” Rin says, clearly in a pretty good mood.  
Aiichirou brightens at the praise. “Thank you senpai!”  
Gou smiles, yawing exaustedly. “Well, I should probably head to bed, too. I'll see you guys sometime.”  
“Do you want me to walk home with you, Gou-san?” Momotarou starts rambling yet again. “There could be bad guys out there, you know. You're far too beautiful to die, Gou-san. Please! Let me protect y-”  
“Alright Momo,” Rin growls, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt. “Time to go.”  
Gou sighs, silently thanking her brother as he drags the small redhead away.  
“Hey!! Unhand me! Nitori-senpai! Yamazaki-senpai!! Help!!”  
Sousuke just rolls his eyes. “Bye, Gou.” he says before turning and following after them.  
Aiichirou smiles, slightly embarrassed. Apologizing and saying good night to Gou before following after his two senpais and the bustling redhead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im sorry about the end part tbh its kinda rushed bc i was just so excited to finish this u have no idea man
> 
> Once again, please feel free to point out any mistakes I made, I cant edit well when im this excited,,,,
> 
> also, my twitter is @momoluvr69 feel free to follow me or whatever. usually im not writing but when i AM writing ill tweet about it. a lot. you'll know when im writing. trust me.

**Author's Note:**

> sorry for any mistakes! I was so excited to upload this so I didn't proofread it very well.  
> Also my ao3 has been glitching a lot, so this proved to be a very frustrating upload.  
> Anyways, hope you enjoy so far<33!!


End file.
